Includes index

He Nag Hammadi Library was discovered in 1945 buried in a large stone jar in the desert outside the modern Egyptian city of Nag Hammadi. It is a collection of religious and philosophic texts gathered and translated into Coptic by fourth-century Gnostic Christians and translated into English by dozens of highly reputable experts. First published in 1978, this is the revised 1988 edition supported by illuminating introductions to each document. The library itself is a diverse collection of texts that the Gnostics considered to be related to their heretical philosophy in some way. There are 45 separate titles, including a Coptic translation from the Greek of two well-known works: the Gospel of Thomas, attributed to Jesus' brother Judas, and Plato's Republic. The word gnosis is defined as "the immediate knowledge of spiritual truth." This doomed radical sect believed in being here now--withdrawing from the contamination of society and materiality--and that heaven is an internal state, not some place above the clouds. That this collection has resurfaced at this historical juncture is more than likely no coincidence. --P. Randall Cohan --This text refers to the Paperback edition

Preface / Marvin W. Meyer -- Table of tractates in the Nag Hammadi library -- Textual signs -- Introduction / James M. Robinson -- The prayer of the apostle Paul / Dieter Mueller -- The Apocryphon of James / Francis E. Williams and Dieter Mueller -- The gospel of truth / George W. MacRae -- The treatise on resurrection / Malcolm L. Peel -- The tripartite tractate / Harold W. Attridge, Elaine H. Pagels and Dieter Mueller -- The Apocryphon of John / Frederik Wisse -- The gospel of Thomas / Helmut Koester and Thomas O. Lambdin -- The gospel of Philip / Wesley W. Isenberg -- The hypostasis of the archons / Roger A. Bullard and Bentley Layton -- On the origin of the world / Hans-Gebhard Bethge and Orval S. Wintermute -- The exegesis on the soul / William C. Robinson, Jr. -- The book of Thomas the contender / John D. Turner -- The gospel of the Egyptians / Alexander Böhlig and Frederick Wisse -- Eugnostos the blessed and the sophia of Jesus Christ / Douglas M. Parrott -- The dialogue of the Savior / Helmut Koester, Elaine H. Pagels, and Harold W. Attridge -- The apocalypse of Paul / George W. MacRae, William R. Murdock and Douglas M. Parrott -- The first apocalypse of James / William R. Schoedel and Douglas M. Parrott -- The apocalypse of Adam / George W. MacRae and Douglas M. Parrott -- The acts of Peter and the twelve apostles / Douglas M. Parrott and R. McL. Wilson -- The thunder, perfect mind / George W. MacRae and Douglas M. Parrott -- The concept of our great power / Francis E. Williams, Frederick Wisse and Douglas M. Parrott -- Plato, Republic 588B-589B / James Brashler and Douglas M. Parrott -- The discourse on the eighth and ninth / Peter A. Dirkse and Douglas M. Parrott -- The prayer of thanksgiving / James Brashler, Peter A. Dirkse and Douglas M. Parrott -- Asclepius / Peter A. Dirkse and Douglas M. Parrott -- The paraphrase of Shem / Frederik Wisse -- The second treatise of the great Seth / Joseph A. Gibbons, Roger A. Bullard and Frederick Wisse -- Apocalypse of Peter / James Brashler, Roger A. Bullard and Frederik Wisse -- The teachings of Silavanus / Malcolm L. Peel, Jan Zandee and Frederick Wisse -- The three steles of Seth / James M. Robinson and Frederik Wisse -- Zostrianos / John H. Sieber -- The letter of Peter to Philip / Frederik Wisse -- Melchizedek / Birger A. Pearson and Soren Giversen -- The thought of Norea / Birger A. Pearson and Soren Giversen -- The testimony of truth / Birger A. Pearson and Soren Giversen -- Marsanes / Birger A. Pearson -- The interpretation of knowledge / Elaine H. Pagels and John D. Turner -- Allogenes / Antoinette Clark Wire, John D. Turner and Orval S. Wintermute -- Hypsiphrone / John D. Turner -- The sentences of Sextus / Frederick Wisse -- Fragments / Frederik Wisse -- Trimorphic protenoia / John D. Turner -- The gospel of Mary / George W. MacRae, R. McL. Wilson and Douglas M. Parrott -- The act of Peter / James Brashler and Douglas M. Parrott -- Index of proper names

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